Alarm check valve



Jan. 15,1929. 1,699,085

. J. F. VERA ALARM CHECK VALVE Original Filed March 24. 1923 Inventor I John F. Vera.

ATTvs.

Patented Jan. 15, 1929.

* UNITED STATES PATEN T homes.

JOHN F. VERA, Oi CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE RELIABLE AUTOMATIC srmnnnn'oomrm, mo, OF

NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ALARM CHECK Application filed March 24, 1923, Serial No. 627,490. Renewed May 19, 1928.

This invention relates to alarm check valves such as are used in Wet pipe sprinkler systems. These alarm check valves usually comprise a casing having a waterway through which the water is delivered from the supply pipe to the sprinkler system, a main check valve for closing the waterway and an auxiliary or alarm valve controlling a port leading to an alarm mechanism, and means whereby when the main check valve is opened the alarm valve will be also opened so as to allow a flow of water to the alarm mechanism for the purpose of giving an alarm indicating thatthe water is flowingto the sprinkler s stem.

A. general 0 ject of the invention is to provide an improved alarm check valve having various novel features all as will be more fully hereinafter set forth.

Another object of the invention is to provide a construction in which the alarm valve and the main valve are separately mounted and adapted to swing about different axes and in which the main valve has means associated therewith for yieldingly holding the alarm valve to its seat when said main valve is closed and for positively opening the alarm valve when said main valve is lifted from its seat. i

In order to give an understanding of the invention I have illustrated in the drawings a selected embodiment thereof which will now be described after which the novel fea tures will be pointed out in the appended claims. a

The drawings show a vertical sectional view through an alarm check valve embodying the invention.

1 indicates the casing or housing of the alarm check valve, it being provided with an inlet 2 which communicates with the sup ply pipe and an outlet 3 communicating with the sprinkler system. Situated within the housing is the main check valve 4 adapted to seat against a valve seat 5. This check valve 4 is carried by an arm 6 pivoted to the casing at 7. i a i The casing is also provided with a port or duct 8 leading to the alarm mechanism, said duct being controlled by an auxiliary or alarm valve 9. This alarm valve 9 is carried by a swinging arm 10 which is pivoted to the casing 1 at 11, non-axially of the main check valve 4.

In the present embodiment the axis 11 about which the alarm valve pivots is situated back of the axis 7 about which the main check valve 4 pivots. i

The main valve has associated therewith means for yieldingly holding the alarm valve to its seat when said main check valve is closed. l/Vhile various devices may be employed for this purpose, that herein shown comprises an arm 12 pivoted co-axially with the arm 6, said arm 12 having a roll 13 adapted to engage the back side of the auxiliary valve arm 10 and being yieldingly connected to the main valve arm 6 by means of a spring 14. The construction is such that when the main valve 4 is closed as shown in full lines the spring 14 will be under tension thus applying a yieldin pressure to the arm 10 of the auxiliary vave and maintaining the latter yieldingly against its valve seat 15. The arm 10 of the auxiliary valve is shown as having ant-extension 16 on its rear side which provides a curved seat 17 against which the roll 13 act-s. v Means are also provided whereby when' the main check valve 4 is lifted from its seat the alarm valve will be simultaneously lifted from its seat and will be iven its full open ing movement during tie initial opening movement of the main valve. The arm 6 for the main valve is provided with a cam extension 18 terminating in the cam face 19, said extension being provided with the concentric face 20. The arm 10 for the auxiliary valve is formed with a lateral extension 21 carrying a roll 22, which is adapted to bear against the cam face 19 when the valves are closed as shown in full lines.

During the initial opening movement of the main valve 4: the cam face 19 acts against the roll 22 thereby opening the auxiliary valve and forcing it into the dotted line position. When the main valve has opened into the dotted line position a the extension 18 will have moved sufiicient-ly so that the roll22 will ride on ,the concentric faceQO thereof and, therefore, during further opening movement of the main valve 4 the auxiliary valve will remain stationary in its dotted line position. The auxiliary valve thus has its complete opening vmovement duringvthe initial opening movement of the main valve and it is positively retained in its open position so long as the main valve is open. Furthermore when the main valve is closed again the auxiliary valvewill be held until the roll 22 passes off from the concentric face 20 which will be at about the time the main valve reaches the dotted line position a, and during the final closing movement of the main valve the auxiliary valve will be closed and the yielding pressure will be applied thereto through the spring 14 to hold said auxiliary valveyieldingly to its seat.

1. An alarm check valve comprising a casing, a main check valve pivotally mounted therein, an auxiliary valve independent of the main valve and pivoted non-axially with respect thereto, yielding means connected with the main valve and acting on the auxiliary valve when the main valve is closed to hold the auxiliary valve yieldingly to its seat, and means to open the auxiliary valve by the opening movement of the main valve.

2. An alarm check valve comprising a casing, a main check valve therein, a pivoted arm carrying said main valve, a second pivotally-mounted arm arranged non-axially with respect to the first named arm, an auxiliary valve carried by said second arm, means for yieldingly holding the auxiliary valve closed when the main valve is closed, and a cam on the main valve arm acting on the auxiliary valve arm to open the auxiliary valve when the main valve opens.

3. An alarm check valve comprising a casing, a main check valve therein, a pivoted arm carrying said main valve, a second pivotally-mounted arm arranged non-axially with respect to the first-named arm, an auxiliary valve carried by said second arm, yielding means connecting said arms by which the auxiliary valve is yieldingly held closed when the main valve is closed, and a cam on the main valve arm operating against the auxiliary valve arm and shaped to give the auxiliary valve its complete opening movement during the initial opening movement of the main valve.

4. An alarm check valve comprising a casing, a main check valve therein, a pivoted arm carrying said main check valve, a second pivoted arm having a non-axial arrangement with respect to the first-named pivoted arm, an auxiliary valve carried by said second pivoted arm, a third arm pivoted coaxially with the main valve arm and bearing against the arm carrying the auxiliary valve, and a spring connecting said third arm with said main valve arm.

5. An alarm check valve comprising a casing, a main check valve therein, a pivoted arm carrying said main check valve, a second pivoted arm having a non-axial arrangement with respect to the first-named open pivoted arm, an auxiliary valve carried by said second pivoted arm, a third arm pivoted co-axially with the main valve arm and bearing against the arm carrying the auxiliary valve, a spring connecting said third arm with said main valve arm, and a cam carried by said mainvalve arm for opening the auxiliary valve when the main valve opens.

6. An alarm check valve comprising a casing, a main check valve'therein, a pivoted arm carrying said main check valve, a second pivoted arm having a non-axial arrangement with respect to the first-named pivoted arm, an auxiliary valve carried by said second pivoted arm, a third pivotally-mounted arm bearing against the arm carrying the auxiliary valve and a spring acting on said third arm and holding it yieldingly in engagement with the arm carrying said auxil iary valve.

7. An alarm check valve comprising a casing, a main check valve therein, a pivoted arm carrying said main check valve, a second pivoted arm having a nonaxial arrange ment with respect to the first-named pivoted arm, an auxiliary valve carried by said second pivoted arm, a third pivotally-mounted arm bearing against the arm carrying the auxiliary valve and a spring acting on said third arm and holding it yieldingly in engagement with the arm carrying said auxiliary valve, and a cam carried by the main valve for opening the auxiliary valve when the main valve opens.

8. An alarm check valve comprising a casing, a main check valve pivotally mounted therein, a pivotally-mounted auxiliary valve arranged non-axially with respect to the main valve, a spring connected with the main valve and acting on the auxiliary valve when the main valve is closed to hold said auxiliary valve yieldingly to its seat, said main check valve having associated therewith a cam device which operates to move the auxiliary valve positively from its seat as the main valve opens.

9. An alarm check valve comprising a casing, a main check valve pivotally mounted therein, a swinging auxiliary valve having its entire swinging movement about a different axis from the movement of the main valve, yielding means connected to the main valve and normally yieldingly holding the auxiliary valve to its seat, and means to open the auxiliary valve by the opening movement of the main valve.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

JOHN F. VERA. 

